Moonfrost's Prophecy
by Moonfrost497
Summary: Moonkit is a misunderstood little kitten who is rejected by her clan for being part of a dangerous prophecy. This is my first fanfic so thanks so much for reading! Please just tell me if I'm doing anything wrong and if you would like to see any different stories. Any suggestions will be taken into account.
1. Prologue

Moonkit lay in the middle of the nursery, hooking rotting leaves onto her claws and tearing them up in frustration. She gazed up at the den roof and studied the way the sunlight filtered through the woven branches as she listened to her mother and Darkstar talking outside.

Lately Moonkit's parents had been having lots of these private conversations with Darkstar and Thunderclan's medicine cat, Hollycloud. She got up, arched her back in a luxurious stretch, padded over to the den wall and pressed her ear up against it. She could just make out her mother's fretful mew.

"Darkstar, you can't send her away! She's an innocent kit! What harm could she do?"

"It's all right, Sundapple. She doesn't need to leave." Darkstar soothed. "You're right. She couldn't do much damage."

"So you won't send her away?" Sundapple sobbed.

"Not yet. However, I-" "Oh, thank you, thank you!" Sundapple cried. "Thank you Darkstar!"

"Calm down. I was saying that as soon as she is nine moons old, she will have to leave."

Moonkit had already figured out they were talking about her. She strained to catch her mother's reply.

"Okay," whispered Sundapple.

Moonkit gasped. Her own mother, agreeing for her to be exiled from her beautiful clan. She shook her head and half ran, half padded outside. Her father was nowhere to be seen, but she needed to ask him about the prophecy.

After checking the warrior's and medicine cat's den, she ran up to Thornfur, her father's closest friend. Trying to sound calm, she asked, "Hi Thornfur! Have you seen Alderbranch?"

"Uh, I think he's out on patrol. Why?"

"N-no reason!" she replied shakily.

"Okay then. Bye," he said skeptically and turned away.

Moonkit dashed off but ran into Darkstar. "Sorry!" she squeaked, and kept running. She ran through the entrance tunnel and out into the forest. Of course, she knew kits weren't allowed into the forest until they were six moons old, but that didn't stop her sprinting all the way to the training hollow.

She stopped in the middle and wailed to the sky, "Why did this stupid prophecy have to be about me?" The prophecy was given, when Moonkit was born, to Darkstar. It was a warning, telling him to beware one of the cats in the clan. The prophecy told him to, 'Beware the cat who is not what they seem, beware the cat who cries in their dreams. Beware the one whose gaze is icy, for the powers of darkness and shadow are rising.' It referred to her in many ways.

First of all, her eyes were a piercing blue in colour, and some cats stated her gaze was icy. Her fur was sleek and jet-black, hence the 'darkness and shadow'. But the main reason she was regarded as the cat in the prophecy was her power. She could walk in other cat's dreams, on command.

A cat who died many seasons ago, Jayfeather, had a similar gift, and he ended up as a blind medicine cat. Moonkit didn't want to be a boring old medicine cat, she wantd to be a fierce warrior and hunt for her clan.

The fact that the prophecy said to beware this certain cat made Darkstar extremely cautious around her. She didn't blame him. If she would grow up to be a cruel murderer, it would be best to remove her from the clan as soon as she could survive alone.

Her powers meant she didn't have to be alone, though. She could access any cat's dreams, as long as they were dreaming at the time and she had seen them in person at least once. She felt tears welling up inside her, and instinctively she brought a paw up to her eyes. Then Moonkit remembered her unique fur marks. They made up the 'crying' bit of the prophecy.

She had silver fur marks around her eyes, making her look like she was always crying, but they also added a beautiful touch to her otherwise plain black pelt. She also had one on her forehead, in a sort of oval-shape, which was where her mother derived her name from.

She crept back to camp, keeping an eye out for patrols, sticking to the shadows, wondering how she would survive, out in the wild, alone...


	2. Apprenticeship

"Moonkit, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and train to protect this clan with your life?" Darkstar's deep, booming voice rang our across the clearing so loud Moonkit thought they could hear him over in Riverclan. She spotted a butterfly flutter past, but she stayed on the rock, paws rooted to the spot, not wanting every cat to think she was still a kit.

"Moonkit?" came Darkstar's voice again, quieter this time, bringing her attention back to the ceremony.

"Oh, yes," she stuttered.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your apprentice name. Moonkit, from this moment on, you will be known as Moonpaw."

Was that an apologetic look on his face? She stared into his amber eyes, trying to read the expression showing in them, but he turned to look at the clan as they chanted her new name.

Moonpaw thought back to when she had watched Spiritpaw, Butterflypaw and Silverpaw's apprentice ceremony. She wasn't sure, but she thought she remembered the clan cheering slightly louder for them than her.

"Thornfur. Please step forward." Darkstar's voice rose above the chanting. Thornfur obediently stepped into the ring of cats.

"Thornfur, you are a strong and loyal cat, and I am placing my trust in you to pass these qualities onto this young apprentice." It felt strange, being referred to as an apprentice, rather than a kit. "You may leave."

Moonpaw bounded down the rock pile, trying to keep pace with Thornfur. She wondered why Darkstar chose him to be her mentor. Thornfur was a huge, bulky tom, with rippling muscles and a sleek, glossy pelt. He was almost undefeatable in battle, and he seemed to run as fast as the wind, whereas Moonpaw felt she was lacking in physical areas. She was a different kind of cat.

Then it hit her. Darkstar wanted her to develop the skills she would need to survive alone in the forest, and Thornfur possessed them.

If she needed to be trained by Thornfur, how worried was Darkstar about Moonpaw's future? Was it really that bad to be out there? All Moonpaw had known about hunting and fighting was, well, nothing. She had relied on Sundapple's milk and fetched food from the fresh-kill pile all her life, and had participated in no battles, not even a play-fight, as her littermates all died before they were even named.

Thornfur's call snapped Moonpaw back to reality. She hurried after him, through the entrance tunnel and out into the forest.

"This is the forest. The full extent of our home. Over there is the Shadowclan border, and there is Windclan." He pointed his tail first left, past a huge oak, then right. Trying to act as though this was her first time in the forest, she looked around, appearing curious, but really just looking for a safe hiding place.

She had a sneaking feeling she would need a really good one.


	3. Spiritpaw

Moonpaw crept along the forest floor, the fallen leaves helping muffle her pawsteps. She kept her tail down, making sure it didn't accidentally brush any of the ferns surrounding her. She slowly stalked forward, ears pricked up for any sign the thrush might hear her.

As soon as it was within range, she bunched up her muscles and pounced on the bird. It let out an alarm call and flapped away, but in the same heartbeat, Moonpaw snagged it on a claw and pulled it to the ground.

After killing it with a swift bite to the neck, she turned, prey in jaws, to see Spiritpaw watching her.

"Neat catch," he remarked.

"Uh, thanks? She didn't really know what to say to the sleek tom praising her.

"You'll be a great hunter when you grow up," he told her.

"You're only two moons older than me, you realise."

"I didn't-"

"Don't answer that," she said. "Is that Thornfur calling? He told me to be back by sunhigh. Bye!" Moonpaw whisked around and sprinted through the undergrowth, wanting to escape the awkwardness of talking to Spiritpaw.

When she was back in camp, Thornfur approached her, and asked why she had come back empty-pawed. She told him she caught a thrush, but when he asked her to go fetch it, she made up an excuse not to. She didn't want to have to talk to Spiritpaw.

"Why don't we do battle training instead?"

The words were out of her mouth before she had a chance to think it through. Of course, she would need another apprentice to train with, and Thornfur's favourite apprentice was...

"Spiritpaw! Will you fetch him, Moonpaw? You'll need an opponent."

"Okay," she mumbled as she padded off into the trees. It wasn't that she didn't like Spiritpaw. He was funny and cheerful, and always had something nice to say. It was just that lately she found she felt strange around him. Like she wanted to be around him, but for some reason she couldn't.

She had asked the warriors if this was what love felt like, but they had laughed and walked away.

Why did this dumb prophecy have to mean everyone hated her?

At the training hollow, Thornfur was waiting for them to appear impatiently. He was a good mentor, but he was just a bit... off... recently. Moonpaw understood why, though.

"Okay." Thornfur yelled at them, even though it was just him and the two apprentices in the clearing. Today we'll practice defensive moves. Hang on, Spiritpaw, where's your mentor?"

"She's on patrol," Spiritpaw replied calmly.

"Why were you outside camp then?" Thornfur questioned.

"She gave me permission before she left." He knew Thornfur would fall for this one. He was all about asking permission.

"Uh, did she now?" Thornfur could argue no more.

"Yes." Spiritpaw jept a straight face, but Moonpaw giggled. Evidently Thornfur heard, because he set out, calling Roseshine's name over and over.

"I hope they're not hunting on their patrol, or your mentor will scare away all the prey in the forest with his shouting!" joked Spiritpaw. Moonpaw laughed again and looked into his blue eyes. They were nearly the same shade as hers, but his contrasted less on his silver fur.

"Why are you staring at me?" he asked.

"No reason," she replied, and went back to staring.


	4. Exile

Moonpaw sat on the lakeshore, leaning on Spiritpaw and taking in the beauty of the sunset. They were supposed to be in camp, but they had escaped through the dirtplace tunnel and resolved not to return until the following day.

Spending time with Spiritpaw was a priority now that she would be leaving soon. All she cared about was keeping their friendship as strong as possible. Or was it more than a friendship?

Moonpaw banished the thought from her mind. They were only apprentices! Nothing more than friends, she thought. For now, at least.

"Do you think we should head over to the abandoned Twoleg nest to spend the night?" she asked.

"Don't you think we should change our spot? We came here the other night." Spiritpaw had changed, but Moonpaw didn't mind. He had grown more mature, no longer bouncing around the den in the mornings, or spending every spare minute exploring. He now thought about things, much more than he did as a new apprentice.

"It'll be fine. They don't need us, so they won't come looking." Moonpaw hoped she was right.

"Okay," agreed Spiritpaw, "but if we get caught, it's on you."

They later arrived at the Twoleg den to find an angry Darkstar waiting for them.

"I knew you'd show up sometime," she said in an almost mocking tone. "Come with me."

They padded back toward camp without an argument. Moonpaw was worried that Spiritpaw might be mad at her for convincing him to go to the Twoleg den, but when they exchanged a silent glance, there was no anger in his eyes. Only humour.

She had a sneaking feeling she knew why Darkstar had come to search for them, and it was definitely more than just being in trouble. She had been thinking about what would actually happen when she was exiled. Would the clan be told, or would they figure it out themselves? She would find out soon, too soon.

As they reached camp, Darkstar bounded up to a high branch of the Highoak.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highoak for a clan meeting,"

Cats began to assemble. Some looked like they knew what was happening, solemnly padding towards the ring of cats, whilst others gazed around cluelessly. Some were whispering in small huddles, urgently mewing.

"Today is the day many of you have been waiting for. The day we rid ourselves of evil and danger. From now on, queens will need not worry for the safety of their kits, nor Hollycloud her herb supply, or even I, your leader, for Thunderclan's reputation."

Moonpaw trembled with anticipation and the sense of helplessness. She could not change what was about to happen. All she could do was wait.

"Moonpaw. As you may know, a prophecy was given to me when you were born. I remember it well. 'Beware the cat who is not what they seem, beware the cat who cries in their dreams. Beware the one whose gaze is icy, for the powers of darkness and shadow are rising.' It clearly speaks of you, meaning you are a danger to our clan. Therefore, it would only be right to rid us of you as soon as possible."

There was commotion in the watching cats. Those who hadn't gotten the idea at the start now had. Everyone knew what Darkstar would say next.

"Moonpaw, I hereby banish you from Thunderclan eternally. If any of my warriors catch you on our land, they reserve the right to hatm or kill you. Leave and do not come back!"

Cats gasped, even though they knew this would happen eventually. Moonpaw heard her mother, sobbing loudly, being comforted by Iceshard. She snorted at the fact that her own mother was the one to agree to her leaving.

"Leave now and don't return!" repeated Darkstar.

Looking at the mob of cats, she saw Spiritpaw, studying his paws and obviously trying to pluck up the courage to say something. Wondering what it was, Moonpaw got up on shaky paws and headed for the tunnel when she heard a cat behind her shout something that would change her life forever.

"I'm coming with her!" It was Spiritpaw.


	5. Plot Twist!

**Hi all! Before we start, a shoutout to Random Fan's Sis for the review! This one's a little short but it's still a good one. Unlike the other chapters, there is no time-skip from the last one. This happens immediately after the last one finishes.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

* * *

"Spiritpaw, no!" shouted Moonpaw across the camp to the young cat running towards her. "You can't come! Darkstar, you can't let him come. He's a good cat!"

"Moonpaw, calm down. I- I don't know, but it might be good to have a companion come with you. Spiritpaw, do you really want to go?" Darkstar asked.

"Yes, with all my heart," he replied honestly.

"And you understand that after you leave, you will never come back to Thunderclan, and if you do, you are at my warrior's mercy?"

"Yes," repeated Spiritpaw.

Then, by the powers of Starclan, I banish you both from Thunderclan forever!" That last part echoed in Moonpaw's mind and brought on a rush of memories from every 'talk' she eavesdropped on.

"Leave," growled Darkstar.

Holding back tears, the pair padded through the entrance tunnel for the last time in their lives without looking back.

They didn't want to rush their departure, so they silently made their way to the edge of Thunderclan territory. At the Thunderclan-Windclan border was where they truly said their farewells. Spiritpaw spoke first.

"I will never forget the wonderful times I had here, but now I have to move on. I give my thanks to the friendly cats who raised me and trained me to be the best cat I can be. Thank you."

Moonpaw felt she could barely say her thanks to the clan that rejected her, but she pulled together and, through her sobs, came up with something suitable.

"I give you great respect for letting me sleep in your dens and eat your prey for the first eight moons of my life, and to Darkstar for making a difficult decision and choosing the good of the clan over one cat's happiness. It takes a strong leader to create a clan that everyone feels happy and safe in and, now that I'm no longer a part of it, that is what you have done. Thank you for all you have done for me." Spiritpaw brushed his tail down her flank and sat down, gesturing for her to do the same. They rested there for an indefinite amount of time that could be seasons or heartbeats before Spiritpaw spoke.

"Where shall we make our den?" he asked. Ah, typical Spiritpaw. Always thinking productively. Thinking ahead. Not skewed by emotion.

"There's a patch of woods behind Windclan territory. Sometimes I go there if I need space, and I've never seen a patrol pass by there. They may not even know it exists."

Nodding approvingly, Spiritpaw agreed to stay there the night and explore for possible better areas the next set off and, wanting to keep her mind busy, Moonpaw started a conversation.

"Why did you come with me?" she asked.

"I wanted to," he replied simply.

"Why did you want to though?" she pressed.

"I couldn't bear to never see you again,' he admitted.

"So you chose me over your loving family and clan?"

Suddenly Spiritpaw looked her straight in the eyes, his piercing gaze clouded with hurt and grief. "Don't you want me here?" he hissed. "Don't you even like me being around?"

"O- of course I do!" she stuttered. "That's not w- what I meant."

"Shut up and leave me alone." He turned away dashed ahead, flashing her a sharp glance before he disappeared into the bushes.


	6. Settling In

**Hi all!**

 **Before we start, a shoutout to DragonoftheStars1429 for the feedback and to Honeyburst for the follow! Also a big thank you to everyone reading my story, just for reading it. By the way, their 'recent argument' means the end of the last chapter. This one's really long but I had a lotta time on my hands.**

 **See ya!**

* * *

Moonpaw lay in the bramble den, watching the sunlight filter through the woven roof. With a pang of grief, she remembered doing the same thing as a kit in Thunderclan, in the warm, homely nursery. Sitting up, she heard a rustle at the entrance and turned to see Spiritpaw standing with a fat squirrel in his jaws.

"Want some?" he asked.

"Sure," she purred, and tucked into the juicy prey without another word.

She hated to admit it, but Moonpaw quite liked life in the forest patch. Evidently she had been right about Windclan being oblivious to it's presence, as they had been there for nearly a moon and no patrols had even passed by. It was quiet, and she enjoyed not constantly patrolling for threats that weren't there.

The space itself was great too. It was like a smaller version of Thunderclan territory, but away from all the noisy cats of the forest. It was prey-rich, as no other cats lived here and the conditions were perfect. They had actually decided to stay there permanently, or until they were discovered by the Windclan cats.

When they had finished their meal, they set out to explore their new territory. Moonpaw had thought it might be clever not to set scent markers. When Spiritpaw had asked why, she had told him that obviously in the clans, every cat knew the other clans existed, so both clans on a border knew about and marked the lines. Here, Windclan (the only clan they shared a border with) had no idea they were there, and they didn't want them to. Setting markers would just alert them to their presence.

Spiritpaw had agreed, and secretly Moonpaw had felt a spark of pride for thinking of it herself. She had pushed it away, though, not wanting to turn into a boastful fox-heart of a cat.

Spiritpaw spoke as they padded along. "Moonpaw, I heard that the term 'moon' is sacred to Starclan, and you can't use it in names. Why are you an exception?"

Stopping in her tracks, she sighed. She had never told any living cats this story.

"Okay, so my mother was going to call me Nightkit, but Darkstar intervened, saying I couldn't be called that. When she asked why, Darkstar told her about the prophecy and how I was special to Starclan, as was the name 'moon'. She agreed that I should be named Moonkit to show that I stood out from other cats and that I was different from the day I was kitted."

"Wow!" exclaimed Spiritpaw, who had been listening intently. "Do you like the name 'moon'?" he asked.

"I love it," she replied, nuzzling his cheek. They had gotten over their recent argument shortly after it had happened, as Moonpaw felt she couldn't give up the bravest cat she knew. She owed Spiritpaw her life, after he left his clan just to be with her and make her happy.

That night, when they were just drifting off into sleep, Moonpaw decided to walk in Spiritpaw's dreams. She hadn't done this since she was a kit, because it reminded her of the prophecy that tore her life apart, and right now all she wanted was to forget it.

When she heard gentle snoring coming from his nest, she knew it was time. She closed her eyes and concentrated on matching her breathing to his, while repeating his name in her mind.

Spiritpaw, Spiritpaw, Spiritpaw...

Until she felt a split second of pain, like a claw stabbed directly into her heart, then a calming sensation rushed over her. She opened her eyes and blinked to clear her vision. She was standing back in Thunderclan territory, a vast expanse of forest stretching in every direction. But, there was no sign of Spiritpaw.

Looking around, she saw a patch of silver fur flash through a gap between two trees.

"Spiritpaw!" she called, but there was no answer.

"Moonpaw." A voice behind her startled her out of her fur. She turned around to see another silver-furred cat. Not Spiritpaw. It was a tom with blue eyes, but not her friend.

"Where's Spiritpaw?" she demanded.

"Not here," the strange cat replied.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"My name is Jayfeather," he said, " and I have come to deliver a message from Starclan."

Jayfeather! He was the cat who, seasons ago, had the same power as her.

"Use your power wisely. If you do, you will discover secrets you never imagined to be true."

"Okay, Jayfeather," she replied. "I will."


	7. Not a Chapter

**Hi all!**

 **Sorry, but this isn't a chapter. I just want to say a few things to everyone.**

 **First of all (please don't hate) you should all check out Aubraias' story The Approaching Darkness. You can request characters to be in the story and it is all OC so it probably required a lot of effort to make.**

 **Anyways check it out and NEXT ITEM...**

 **Christmas is coming so I have a lot to do, and if I don't post as often sorry. I'm probably doing something at the time.**

 **NEXT...**

 **I have started a new story of Warriors lemons so if you want to you can check out my Lionblaze x Cinderheart sample.**

 **Thanks for reading because this was practically just a bunch of self-ads.**

 **See ya!**


	8. Warriors!

**Hi all,**

 **Christmas is over so I am mostly back on schedule. We are back to real chapters now!**

 **Thanks and see ya!**

* * *

Moonpaw stood in the clearing, waiting for some cat to appear. She didn't mind if it was Spiritpaw or a Starclan cat, but dawn would be on its way in the waking world. Spiritpaw would wake up and she would be thrown out of the dream.

After Jayfeather's message, she had been visiting Spiritpaw's dreams every night, but nothing interesting had happened in his dreams since then.

She suddenly felt the feeling of eyes watching her, and she whisked around to see Jayfeather standing behind her. Her heart leaped to see the boring, grumpy, dead medicine cat from an eternity ago. She was so glad to see him, as he would provide guidance on how to harness her powers and when to use them.

"Jayfeather." She bowed her head. "What have you come to tell me?"

"No advice this time." He chuckled to see her disappointed face and went on. "We have come to tell you something that will change the course of history."

Moonpaw tilted her head. "We? There's only you and I here."

"Oh, no, I brought friends." A few starry cats appeared from the trees, but soon 'a few' turned into what seemed like hundreds of cats crowding the clearing. One of them shouldered his way to the front. He was a bright orange and had green eyes. Racking her memory, she realised this was Firestar, the Thunderclan leader before Darkstar, Petalstar and even Bramblestar.

"We have a message for you." There was just something about his voice that made her feel the need to like him and respect him. "Moonpaw, you have suffered much. We know something that will go against everyrthing you thought you knew.

You are not the cat from the prophecy."

Moonpaw froze. It had never crossed her mind that it might be another cat. She had just accepted that because Darkstar thought it was her, it was. She took a deep breath and steadied herself. Firestar was looking at her worriedly, watching with a concerned expression.

"Because you accepted a false punishment without complaint and have had the wits to survive without a clan for this long, we would like to present you with your warrior name. Moonpaw, you are a solitary cat, but we have noticed that your heart still lies in Thunderclan. Do you accept your warrior name?"

"Yes. I do," Her voice shook as her brain processed alk this new information.

"Then by the powers of all Starclan, I give you your name. Moonpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Moonfrost." An eerie silence followed where there would usually be cheering and chanting of the new warrior's name from the clan. Here, there was no clan.

A pair of blue eyes peered out from inside a bush. They looked exactly like hers. Was it her future spirit self? Then it hit her. Spirit... Spiritpaw! He struggled out of his spot, knowing she had seen him.

"Spiritpaw. I know you are there. And yes, you are also getting your warrior name. Spiritpaw, you are a brave and loyal cat. Do you accept your warrior name?"

"Yes." he padded in over next to Moonfrost.

"Then by the powers of all Starclan, I give you your name. From this moment on, you will be known as Spiritclaw." Firestar dipped his head to the new warriors. Was that... respect... in his eyes?

This was not a traditional warrior ceremony. Usually the name was presented by the clan leader, and the transitioning warrior was asked if they promise to uphold the code, not whether they accepted their name. Then again, there was no clan leader out here, or a warrior code.

"Thank you," Spiritclaw said, "but does Darkstar know the news?"

"We have not told him yet," replied Firestar. Why could Starclan never make things easy?

Jayfeather stepped forward. "Find the true prophecy cat. Only then will you be accepted back into the clan." It wasn't a new prophecy. More just instructions.

The Starclan cats began to fade, leaving Moonfrost and Spiritclaw alone in the clearing.

"Do we-" She was cut off.

"Sh! This is our silent vigil!" Spiritclaw hissed.

"Of course!" She had been waiting for this to happen for moons. A whole night, with just her thoughts for company. She settled down and thought over what had just occured. If she wasn't the cat in the prophecy, who was?


	9. Battle

**Hi all,**

 **Ok, I think I have a schedule I can stick to. I will post a new Moonfrost chapter three times a week. If, for whatever reason, I forget to post, I will try to make up for it the next week. Also shoutout to thelokinerdicat!**

 **Thanks and see ya!**

* * *

Moonfrost circled around the rogue, fur bristling. He was much bigger than her, and she doubted she could take him on alone, without an ally. Where was Spiritclaw?

Arching her back, she pounced at the rogue like he was prey. She pushed her full body weight at him on impact, but he barely stumbled back before regaining his composture. He lashed out viciously, claws scraping tufts of fur off her hind leg before she could properly jump out of range.

If she was to win this fight, she would have to focus on using his weight to her advantage, and being fast too. The rogue leapt at her but she rolled out of the way. He dashed over to her, but instead of getting up, she lay on her back and clawed at his face with her claws. He turned away, growling, and she managed to knock him to the ground.

His powerful hind legs pushed her away, and he quickly got up to slash at her shoulder before darting away again. He was using her strategy! They faced each other, and Moonfrost could feel blood dripping from her shoulder. Her hind leg was also beginning to sting.

"Who are you? What do you want?' she asked him, voice trembling with rage.

"I am Thorn, and this is my land. Leave now!" He smashed into her and they rolled along the forest floor. Thorn ended up on top, and Moonfrost tried to scratch at his eyes but cried out in pain when she felt her belly being torn apart. Who was this 'Thorn' that he was so well trained in battle? She would never win against him.

Suddenly, Thorn's weight was lifted off her. She got up to see Spiritclaw tussling with him. She made to join him, but he nudged her away.

"You have too many wounds already. I'll take care of this."

She ignored him and circled around the pair. Thorn's tail whisked in front of her face and she instinctively bit down on it. Screeching in agony, Thorn fled through the trees. Spiritclaw collapsed, panting, and Moonfrost saw that his flank was covered in blood. She gasped, and then realised there was no wound there. It was all Thorn's blood.

"Are you hurt?" he asked her.

"Uh..." She didn't want to worry him, but she knew if she didn't tell him, he couldn't help. "Badly on my stomach, I think." She rolled over to see a series of long scratches across her belly. They weren't too deep, though. "And minor on my shoulder and my leg. You?"

"Torn ear and small scratches on my forepaw. Oh, and a torn claw."

Moonfrost sighed, realising there was no medicine cat around to help them. Hollycloud had told her a bit about herbs before she left, so they might be able to pull through.

"We need cobweb to stop the bleeding, dock for the scratches, marigold to prevent infection and goldenrod, which is applied to wounds."

"What about my torn claw?" asked Spiritclaw.

What was it for a torn claw? Maybe it would just heal on its own. She hoped so. "It'll heal without herbs," she answered, trying to sound confident.

"You don't know, do you?"

"I'm not a medicine cat, okay?" she hissed.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way." He padded over to her and she felt him press up against her flank. She breathed in his scent and watched a butterfly fly past them. Spiritclaw was truly her mate now. Maybe one day they would even have kits together.

They could really have a great life out here. She had prey, shelter, and a mate. What else could she ask for? Maybe, just maybe, did she enjoy it here more than in Thunderclan?

No! Thunderclan had all her family and friends. She had grown up there since she was born! She would go back, just as soon as she figured out who the prophecy cat was.

But that could take years! She might never find out, and she would have been wrongly living without a clan for ever.

Was that so bad though? She shook her head, as her mind was hurting.

"Let's gather those herbs," she suggested. They set off, quietly winding through the undergrowth together.

* * *

 **Just so you don't think I forgot about him, Thorn is not important to the story. He will not be returning. Please tell me if the battle scene was good or not!**

 **Byeee!**


	10. Spiritclaw WHY?

**Hi all,**

 **Um... Yeah. Nothing to say, really.**

 **Thanks and see ya!?**

* * *

Moonfrost closed her eyes and pushed her thoughts away, leaving only Spiritclaw's sleeping form. She listened for a few heartbeats before matching her breathing to his and concentrating on entering his mind. This time, though, she inhaled deeply and held her breath before she began dream-walking, and managed to avoid the sharp stab of pain. It was a trick Jayfeather had taught her.

She opened her eyes to see that she was standing next to a small, calm river. A river? Usually she was in the forest or in mountains or even in a vast, open moor, but never a river.

She began pacing around the banks, waiting for Jayfeather or Spiritclaw to appear and explain the presence of the river. Nobody showed up.

She decided to follow the river to its source, and padded alongside it for quite a while. Eventually she came to a stop at the foot of a mountain. The path on her side of the river was cut off by a huge boulder. It was a few tail-lengths high, much too tall to jump over. The path on the other bank was clear, though.

There were no fallen trees or stepping stones anywhere, as far as she could see. In fact, there were no trees anywhere. Looking back, she did not recall seeing a single tree during the dream. What was this place? Dipping a paw in the water, she instantly froze at the temperature. It was so cold she was surprised it wasn't frozen. But... the air was warm. How was this possible?

The river was wide. Could she make the jump? No, if she fell she would be swept away in the freezing current. It was too much of a risk. If she could get higher, she might be able to use that to her advantage. There was less chance of falling in if the leap's starting point was higher than the end...

Moonfrost shook her head. Her brain was working too fast. It was just a dream, and no cat would be haed if she couldn't make it. She calmly clambered up onto a small boulder, and from there she leapt to a higher one. The rock blocking her path was too far away to jump to, so she would have to leap from here.

Bunching her muscles like she would to pounce on prey, she pushed off the rock and flew through the air for a heartbeat before landing on the other bank. Her hind leg slipped on the muddy bank and plunged into the water, sending another shiver down her spine, and she lifted it out.

From here the path was clear. She padded along quietly until she found the mouth of a cave looming in front of her. The river led into it, so she stepped inside. Her pawsteps echoed around the gloomy tunnel, and she was grateful to have a flowing river to guide her past twists and turns. When she seemed to be lost, she would just listen out for the gentle sound of running water, and follow it back to the main tunnel.

Suddenly, the tunnel system opened up into a large cavern, with a pool in the centre, shining with moonlight from the hole above. Wait, moonlight? When she was outside, it was daytime, almost sunhigh. Through the hole overhead, Moonfrost could make out the night sky, glittering with stars, and a full moon.

"Welcome to the Cave of Eternal Night," boomed a disembodied voice. There were no cats in the 'Cave of Eternal Night', so she assumed it was some magic dream-voice. Wait... there was a cat. It's fur blended in so well with the silver-grey cave floor, and it was in shadow. The voice had definitely not come from the figure, though. It was sprawled on the floor, panting and covered in wounds, as if it had just been in a battle.

"Excuse me, are you alright?" She figured this cat couldn't really hurt her in this state, and any stranger was worth helping. She didn't _know_ it was bad, so for all she knew, it could be an old Thunderclan friend.

"M- Mo- ah," It was a tom's voice, that was for sure. "Moon-"

"Moon? What about the moon? It's full." What was this cat asking?

"Moonfrost?" The only cat who knew her warrior name was...

"Spiritclaw! Who did this to you?" Her best friend, her protector, her mate, looking such a mess. "How can I fix it?"

He did not answer. He only lifted his head for a moment. But that simple motion gave away everything.

In that heartbeat, he looked her straight in the eyes. His own cold, blue eyes were inflicting more pain on her than claws or teeth ever could. They were clouded with pain and grief, while glinting with hatred and anger. There was so much emotion in his gaze, she thought she would burst with sorrow. His icy gaze betrayed loss, and his face was twisted into a look of utter menace.

He finally dropped his gaze, and questions flooded her mind. Why was he angry? And at who? What had he lost? The sound of a droplet landing on hard stone broke her thoughts. She looked to the pool. It was completely still.

She heard another. And another. Then came a sob. A sob? She turned to see Spiritclaw, tears streaming out of his eyes and on to the floor of the cave.

Was he... crying?

Moonfrost felt a flood of memories, thoughts and still more questions enter her brain, but she couldn't clear them out again. Thoughts of the talks her parents had as a kit, and the nights she spent with Spiritclaw, sleeping together in their own den. Memories of life in Thunderclan. She staggered backwards, wanting to escape these horrors and never return. She turned tail and fled through the tunnel, Spiritclaw's wails echoing through the cave system. The prophecy repeated itself over and over in her head until she reached the end of the tunnel.

'Beware _the cat who is not what they seem, beware the cat who cries in their dreams. Beware the one whose gaze is icy, for the powers of darkness and shadow are rising."_

She had figured out who the cat was, but how could she tell Thunderclan? She was the only one who could see him crying in his dreams, so how could she prove it was true?

She couldn't believe her mate lied to her, and let her think she was the cat for this long. He was the last cat she thought might be the one, and it was hard to realise the truth.

Spiritclaw was the cat in the prophecy.

* * *

 **Gosh, this was long! That took a while to write. Also, for clarification, a week is Monday, Tuesday, etc etc, Saturday, Sunday. That's what I'm going with for my schedule. (I might be in a different time zone to you, so it might come out after Sunday where you are from.**

 **Okay, that was a terrible explanation, but OKAY.**

 **See ya!**


	11. Worth a Try

**Hi all,**

 **This may be a bit short, but bear with me. Like, at least I posted** **SOMETHING, right? Ok, I know, excuses excuses, but I personally do not care.**

 **In short, this will be short. (See what I did there? Ugh, I'm dead.)**

 **Thanks for putting up with my annoying self and see ya!**

* * *

The bright, glowing form of the sun was peeking out from behind the mountains when Moonfrost arrived in Thunderclan territory. She had rushed here as soon as she had woken up from the dream, and now she stood on the Thunderclan-Windclan border. Without Spiritclaw.

She had decided to go back to Thunderclan and give telling Darkstar a try. If she was killed, all of Thunderclan would feel a lot safer, but no-one would ever be able to figure out who the true prophecy cat was. She would have to survive this visit if the truth was to be known by every cat.

Once she had caught her breath, she braced herself and stepped over the boundary line.

No sudden attacks were launched on her, no patrols waiting hungrily in the bushes, no foxes or badgers leaping out at her. That meant no cats saw her, which also meant she was safe. For now, at least.

She made her way carefully towards the Thunderclan camp, winding through the trees and jumping over fallen trees. When she came to the stream, she jumped easily, and remembered the river in Spiritclaw's dream.

Soon the entrance tunnel came into view. There was a cat standing guard. It was...

"Sundapple!" she cried, dashing over to her mother.

"Moonpaw? Is that you?" Moonpaw?" asked Sundapple, startled.

"Yes, mother! And... my name is Moonfrost now."

"You have your warrior name?"

"Yes, but I can only explain once I talk to Darkstar."

"Oh, I don't think that's a very good idea," Sundapple warned, her voice suddenly solemn.

"Trust me."

"Ok, let's go then. But please be careful!" They cautiously pushed through the thorn tunnel and into the camp. When they reached the other side, what Moonfrost saw was so nostalgic, she felt sick.

Darkstar was sitting on the tree stump, sharing tongues with his mate, Redfoot. Kits were playfighting in the clearing. Wait, not kits. Oakkit, Beekit and Archkit would be apprentices now! There were new cats, kits, who looked an awful lot like Leopardspot. Oh, she must have had her litter! They looked so big and strong already. Alderbranch was organising patrols with his usual calm efficiency. The camp looked... happier... when she was gone.

Sundapple quietly ushered her to where Darkstar was sitting. He looked up and growled. Redfoot stood up, fur on end, and slinked away.

"Why are you here? I have to kill you now!" Darkstar said, furiously eyeing her.

"I- I must tell you... I am not the proohecy cat. Spiritclaw is."

"Who is Spiritclaw?" he asked.

"Oh, Spiritpaw. He got his warrior name."

"How? What? But you were-"

"Sh. If we can get somewhere private," she nodded to Redfoot, watching them from the bushes, "I can tell you everything."

"This better be good, or I'll make your death extra painful."

She took a breath, steadied her shaking paws, and launched into the story of everything that had happened.

* * *

 **Shoutout to Random Fan for the review!**

 **Byeeeeee!**


	12. No No Noooo

**Hi all!**

 **Before we get started, (I sound like a youtuber) shoutout to dapplestarr for the review. Thanks to everyone for still showing support, even when I am posting a little less now! Btw this chapter takes place right after Moonfrost finishes explaining everything to Darkstar.**

 **As always, thanks and see ya!**

* * *

"That is," Darkstar breathed, "the worst lie I have ever heard. Seriously? Return to camp and blame everything on Spiritpaw!"

"Spiritclaw," Moonfrost reminded him. "And I'm not lying! It's all true."

"Ok, I'll withdraw part of your punishment," She breathed a sigh of relief, "and kill you quickly, because now I just want your blood on my claws as soon as possible!"

"Darkstar, you can't kill her! Please!" Sundapple sobbed, reminding her that she was still there.

"Get out of here," he growled, fluffing up his fur until he looked twice his size. Sundapple scampered out of the den. "Now, time to deal with you." He turned to her and stared her straight in the eyes."Any last words?"

Before she could protest, Thornfur blundered into the den. When he saw the two cats facing off, his eyes widened, but he still delivered his message.

"Darkstar, cats have been sighted on the Windclan border, but they are definitely not Windclan. And they're headed for our camp!"

"How many? Do they look like fighters?" Darkstar asked.

"About thirty, from what we could see, but there may be more. And they looked really big and intimidating!"

"Did you see the leader?"

"It was reported to be a huge, brown tabby tom with amber eyes. Someone along the lines of Tigerstorm, Tigersting..."

"Tigerstar! I know who these cats are, Darkstar." Moonfrost told Darkstar that these were none other than the Dark Forest cats, clan cats who had died but been rejected from Starclan as they had done something terrible in their life. The cats there were purely evil, and they spent every second of their time in the Dark Forest brutally training for battle. Some of there cats had been there since the legendary Firestar had joined the clans, and they were not a group to mess with.

Also, she had a feeling Tigerstar had a second-in-command, a spy in the living world.

Spiritclaw.

This was the darkness and shadow they had been warned of, not Moonfrost's black pelt. This was the real danger.

"If what you say is true, we may need to evacuate camp. But obviously, since you're a liar, we will stay here. We do not take orders from Moonfrost!"

Thunderclan was her home. Darkstar may have rejected her, but she would still protect her friends and family with her life. This was where she had been raised. She would have to evacuate as many cats as possible, starting with her parents, without Darkstar noticing.

She inhaled deeply and looked for a way out of the leader's den. Glancing over at Darkstar and Thornfur, deep in conversation, she edged towards the main and only exit. The second she stepped outside, Tigerstar stepped into camp with a smug expression. All heads turned as huge cats started flooding in and blocking every exit.

They were surrounded.

One silver pelt caught her eye. It was Spiritclaw, padding up to take his place beside Tigerstar and watch as kits wailed for their mothers and Hollycloud scampered into her den. No-one recognised these cats, but everyone knew what was happening.

Tigerstar flicked his tail, and all at once the Dark Forest cats leapt forward.

* * *

 **Dun dun duuuuuun! Ok, I admit, the unnecessary between Moonfrost and Thorn was just practice for me to write the main fight. You caught me!**

 **Bye now!**


	13. Dark Forest Battle

Screeches of fury and pain filled the camp. The sharp scent of blood drifted through the air, carrying with it an aura of death.

Darkstar slowly emerged from his den, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw the battling cats. He hesitated for a heartbeat before dashing over to help Ringpaw, who was tussling with a tom twice his size. Thornfur raced out of the den after him and knocked the Dark Forest tom to the ground, freeing Ringpaw, before rushing over to fight side by side with his mate, Thrushwing, who was facing two Dark Forest cats.

Out of the corner of her eye, Moonfrost spotted Alderbranch defending the new litter of kits alongside Leopardspot and Strikepaw. They were facing three ferocious Dark Forest cats, two she-cats and a tom, and it looked as if it would be a winning fight for Thunderclan, until two more cats appeared. They were slinking towards the battle, at the perfect time for backup. These two plus the cats already fighting would overpower the Thunderclan group

"Watch out! There are more coming!" she shouted as she launched herself into the closest Dark Forest she-cat. It seemed the Thunderclan cats heard her warning, as a couple of lost warriors headed over to help as if they had been looking a battle to join in on. An apprentice helped her fight off the she-cat and driving her out of the camp.

Suddenly, a mew broke through the yowls, louder than everything else.

"No! Tigerstar, no!" It was Darkstar. She peered through the groups of fighting cats to see Darkstar, pinned down by Tigerstar and covered in bleeding wounds. He was clawing at Tigerstar with his hind claws, but it had no effect on the tom.

She struggled to hear them through the noise of the battle as she fought her way towards them.

"I won't kill you. He will." Tigerstar chuckled and flicked his tail towards a solitary figure, standing motionless, overlooking the scene.

Spiritclaw.

He padded over to Darkstar and raised a paw in the air, ready to deliver the killing blow. She had to do something.

"Spiritclaw, no! Don't do it!" She tried to make her voice heard above everything else. He looked up and snarled at her.

"You. I should have killed you while I had the chance." He carelessly brought his paw down, slit Darkstar's throat with a claw and flung his body away. Tigerstar watched in amazement as his little spy padded towards her, shoving fighting cats out of his way. The cats who were still able to move edged away from him, creating a path for him to follow, straight to Moonfrost. By now, no one was fighting. They were all watching the scene, to see what would happen next.

"You killed Darkstar," she growled once he was close enough to hear her. Darkstar may have sent her out of the clan, but he was her clan leader while she was there. She would avenge him, and protect the rest of Thunderclan as long as she lived.

"So? He was weak. He never should have been made Thunderclan leader." He looked around at the watching cats, taking in the moment.

"You killed Darkstar," she repeated.

He laughed. "Now I'll kill you too."

* * *

 **Hi all,**

 **This is short! I don't care! Also, the story finishes next week.**

 **Thanks and see ya!**


	14. Killing Spiritclaw

**Hi all,**

 **I am so sorry for not posting for like A WEEK! My phone broke and it took forever to get fixed so I have been getting my stuff back in order. You guys still matter to me! (Again with the Youtuber thing)**

 **Oh, and there will be one more chapter after this one.**

 **Thanks and see ya!**

* * *

"I swear I will destroy you, even if it's the last thing I do, to protect my clan. Darkstar will not have died in vain!" Moonfrost vowed. She was ready to do anything, including killing her mate, to save Thunderclan from the Dark Forest cats. Nothing could stand in her way.

"So brave. You think you can defeat me, after losing against a mangy rogue? Think again," Spiritclaw spat out. "I should have let him kill you. No- I want my teeth in your throat, my blood on your claws. You will be the one to die tonight."

Tonight? Risking a glance up into the sky, she saw the full moon in a sky glittering with stars. The fight had started at sundown, and it was nearly moonhigh. "You will die first."

She pounced, but Spiritclaw was ready. He rolled out of the way, leaving her to crash into the rocky camp ground. That was one of the first moves an apprentice learned, though. She readied herself to land gracefully before scampering out of range of furious Spiritclaw. He lashed out with a paw, but she caught it in her jaws lightning-fast and bit down hard. He slashed at her muzzle with his other forepaw and pulled away as she loosened her grip for a heartbeat.

Feeling blood trickling down her cheek, she pushed him to the ground with new-found strength. He lashed out again with both forepaws as she raked her hind claws down his exposed belly, trying to draw as much blood as she could. She would make his death painful.

Spiritclaw heaved her off him and rose up to her, growling. "Two can play at that game," he said. He shoved her hard, and she fought to keep her balance. He shoved again, and again, each one harder than the last, until she fell to the ground. He pinned her forepaws down and angled himself away from her hindpaws.

She struggled to loosen his grip on her, but none of her blows seemed to land properly. He was right in front of her, but she couldn't touch him. She felt completely helpless.

His claws sliced deep into her flank, tearing her flesh. He slashed again, cutting her shoulder open. He kept scratching her, until she felt like she must be torn to pieces by now. She was about to die.

Suddenly, a yowl broke her thoughts.

"Moonfrost!"

It was her mother. Sundapple. She was still there, still alive, and still watching. Still hoping she would get out of this alive. Still loving her.

Her eyes flashed open, new energy pulsing beneath her ripped pelt. She would not give up, for her mother, for Darkstar, for Thunderclan. She batted Spiritclaw, who seemed surprised she was still alive, off her, and sprang to her paws. She felt no pain, just energy.

She padded over to Spiritclaw, who looked terrified of her. A nice turn of events. He backed away, so she leapt at him and landed directly in front of him. He turned to flee, but she grabbed his tail in her jaws before as he turned away. She jerked it towards her hard and Spiritclaw came tumbling back over to her. She placed a forepaw on his flank and held him down.

Leaning over to him, she whispered into his ear, "You are a liar, a traitor, and a murderer. You deserve to die." Her eyes teared up as memories of the times they spent together as apprentices and exiles flooded her mind. "And I will be the one to kill you."

She rose her paw in the air as Spiritclaw had done with Darkstar. She would show him what it would have been like in his position. His eyes grew wide in panic. "No, Moonfrost! Don't do this! Please, no!" She unsheathed her claws and closed her eyes, blocking out younger Spiritclaw's voice from her mind.

Taking a deep breath, she brought her paw down and slit his throat.

* * *

Moonfrost strode across the camp, listening to the conversations of every cat who was not in the medicine cat's den. It was quarter-moon after the battle, and Thunderclan was rebuilding itself well. Almost a third of the warriors were being tended to by Hollycloud, though.

The main subject of sharing tongues was the new leader. With the leader and deputy killed in the battle, who was to become leader? None of the warriors had been willing to take over, and the clan would need a leader that night for the Gathering.

One conversation had struck her as peculiar. Three apprentices had been discussing the new leader. One of them had suggested her. The others had agreed. Would she be a good leader? It was certainly hard to lead a clan. Was she really the right cat for the job? She would find out later how many cats agreed with the apprentices at the vote Alderbranch was holding later.

* * *

"I nominate Moonfrost!" a voice called out to Alderbranch. She couldn't tell who said it, but it had been said.

"Alright. Who votes for Moonfrost?" Alderbranch had accepted her as a nominee! But who would vote for her? What if it was just that group from before? Would Sundapple vote for her? Her mind flooded with questions and she closed her eyes.

"Anyone else?" That meant at least one cat had voted for her. She had cats who supported her! Who were they? She opened here eyes a fraction and gazed around in amazement.

At least half the cats had their tails in the air. Half the tails, half the votes of the clan. And as she watched, more cats raised their tails. The few left glanced around and, seeing they were to odd ones out, reluctantly lifted their tails too.

She had the whole clan's vote.

She would become clan leader.

* * *

 **That was kind of a bad one, and also a long one. This story has a lot of flaws, but I'm only thirteen and I'm doing what I can in the time I have.**

 **See ya!**


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